February28, 2019

Washington—Representative Eliot L. Engel, Chairman of the House Committee on Foreign Affairs, today made the following statement:

“I am extremely concerned by the escalation of India-Pakistan hostilities triggered by the Jaish-e-Mohammad terrorist attack in Pulwama, Kashmir earlier this month. I urge both countries to exercise restraint and deescalate tensions. Pakistan’s announced repatriation of Wing Commander Abhinandan to India is a good first step toward enabling meaningful dialogue to resolve this conflict.

“I also remain extremely concerned about ongoing Pakistani support for terrorist groups, including Jaish-e-Mohammad. To avoid the kind of miscalculation Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan rightly fears, Pakistani leaders must take demonstrable action against Jaish-e-Mohammed and the terrorist infrastructure on Pakistan’s soil.”